great canadian beer festival

the sign of having a really good time is the serious lack of photos taken
because you were too busy having the good time to record it

so... the only photo on my phone from this year's gcbf:

i also managed to only get one from the gigantic/cider riot tap takeover at canoe pub on friday night:

the tap takeover was more of an exposition of bare chests as it turns out than it was of gigantic beers or cider riot ciders.
don't get me wrong, the beers and ciders were great, as was the music from the mcgillicuddys, it's just that there weren't many taps taken over
canoe is a brewpub, so i guess taking over any taps at all is impressive
i was just looking for more than four drink choices other than canoe's home brand
(that said, four drinks was enough to have me more than tipsy thanks to the 20oz pours!)

what was there was:
gigantic saison
gigantic india pale lager
cider riot everybody pogo hoppy cider
cider riot cask of berry cider
and it was all very happy-making indeed

what did i drink at the festival?
my aim was for cask ales, breweries i haven't tried before, and new to me beers from those i have
i managed to sample at least 17 beers
i did actually check things off on my list, so most of what i drank is listed below
and i think i can remember which ones impressed me the most...

i didn't always love beer - there was a time in the distant past where i just didn't have a taste for it. fortunately my taste buds changed just around the time folks started brewing really tasty beer. my love affair with beer began. slowly at first, eventually blowing itself up into my current obsession with all things beer. i really like drinking beer. i also enjoy reading about beer, talking about beer, thinking about beer and watching people brew beer.